File Your Tax Return the Easy Way

Start my Irish Self Assessed Tax Return

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Tax Return Filing

If you're self-employed in Ireland, you're obliged to file an annual tax return. This is referred to as a 'self assessed tax return'. Under the self-assessment system in Ireland, all self-employed people must report all income earned by filing a tax return.

Your tax return is also used to claim any tax allowances that can be offset against your tax bill. You have to file an Irish tax return if any of the following circumstances apply to you:

You receive income in addition to PAYE income e.g. income through an investment portfolio, rental income, income from a construction trade, capital gains, consulting, contracting or if you receive any other untaxed income from ‘nixers’ or work you do in addition to your normal PAYE job.

A lot of contractors and people who work for themselves can’t afford expensive accountancy fees. That’s why we developed a service that is a fraction of the cost of using an accountant. We will prepare and file your tax return and claim any applicable allowances. Our tax return service starts at a flat fee of €239 (VAT inclusive). The tax return deadline is 31st October, so file today to avoid late fees.

Ireland Tax Refund FAQs

?Do I need to file a tax return?

If you’re self-employed in Ireland, perhaps as a consultant, architect or construction sub-contractor, you’re legally obliged to declare any income you receive on an annual self-assessed tax return. This information will be used to work out how much tax you should pay.

You should also file a self-assessed tax return if you earn income from other sources such as:

Rental income

Investments

Foreign income/foreign pensions

Income from share options/share incentives

Maintenance payments where civil partnerships are dissolved

Other income not subject to PAYE

For those who have registered, the tax office will issue your self-assessed tax return forms at the end of the tax year. If you receive one you must submit it, even if you had no self-assessable income.

You must file your return and pay your taxes by October 31st or you may face a surcharge and interest on any money owed.

NOTE: Even if you worked only part of the year as self-employed and were PAYE the rest of the time, you still need to file a self-assessed tax return.

?What is Self-Assessment?

The self-assessment system in Ireland applies to all self-employed people and is used to report income, capital gains or claim tax allowances against your tax bill. It’s called self-assessment because you’re responsible for making sure the details are correct and ensuring you pay the right amount of tax – even if you don't actually work out the tax yourself.

When you get your self-assessment forms at the end of the tax year, you’ll need to provide details of all taxable income and gains you received in the year. This form will also allow you to claim allowances on it as well.

?When should I file my Irish tax return?

You must file your return and ensure all tax is paid by October 31st following the end of the tax year. If paying and filing using ROS, Revenue’s online system, the due date is extended to Thursday, 12th November 2015. The tax year in Ireland runs from 1st January-31st December.

Interest of 8% per annum is applicable on all late payments of tax.

?Will I get a tax refund?

It depends. As part of your self-assessed tax return, we’ll claim for any allowances and work-related expenses you’re entitled to. Your refund will depend on your earnings and expenses.

?Can I claim business expenses?

Yes, if you’re self-employed in Ireland you can claim back business-related expenses. Expenses can significantly reduce your tax liability and are a vital part of your tax return. Many people forget to include this and leave thousands of euros worth of tax refunds unclaimed.

To claim, the expense must be directly related to earning your profits.

Examples include:

Wages, rent, rates, repairs, lighting and heating, etc.

Running costs of vehicles or machinery for the business

Accountancy fees

Work tools

Protective clothing

Buying machinery

Maintenance of work equipment

Note: Remember to keep your receipts and records of income and expenditure.

?Can I claim a VAT refund?

VAT is a tax levied on the supply of goods and services in EU and many non-EU countries which may add between 5% and 25% to your expenses.

If your company does business abroad you may be entitled to recover VAT on expenses including:

?Should I include rental income on my tax return?

Yes. Rental income is any income from lettings and can be from a house, flat, factory, office, etc. You must pay tax on any profit arising from rental income and declare it under the self-assessment system.

Rental profit or loss is calculated in terms of the total receipts to which the person becomes entitled in any tax year. A rental loss occurs when the total allowable expenses are more than the rents received.

?Can I claim back bin and water service charges?

Since 1st Jan 2012, tax relief for service charges has been abolished. If you paid charges on bin or water services prior to 2012 you may be able to claim tax credits of up to €400. For amounts paid prior to this, relief may still be claimed if the claim is made within four years.

Qualifying services are those paid to local authorities for domestic water supply, refuse collection, and sewage disposal. To be eligible, you must have paid on time and in full in the year for which you want to claim.

?How do I know what’s happening with my tax return?

We’ll also provide 24/7 support through our Live Chat service so you can have your questions answered anytime.

?How much does it cost?

Once you send us your documents and signed forms, we'll evaluate your case and let you know how much it will cost to file your self-assessed tax return.

?What’s PRSI?

In Ireland, everyone must make Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions on relevant earnings. PRSI is made up of social insurance and health contributions.

Social insurance goes to social insurance funds to pay for social welfare and benefits in Ireland. The health contribution goes to the Department of Health and Children to help fund health services in Ireland.

As a self-employed worker, you’re responsible for your own PRSI contributions and must pay through the self-assessment tax system.

?What is RCT?

RCT (Relevant Contracts Tax) is a tax system where the principal contractor deducts tax at either 0%, 20% or 35% from payments to subcontractors, depending on the tax status of the subcontractor.

RCT applies to construction, forestry, and meat processing operations and only when the principal contractor and subcontractor operate in the same industry.

Revenue now operates an electronic RCT system, which was introduced on 1st January 2012.

?What is a C2?

A C2 was the old certificate of authorisation issued to you as a subcontractor by the tax office. However, features of the old system such as C2s, RCTDCs, and Form RCT 1 are no longer in use and have been replaced by an electronic system which is mandatory for principal contractors.

Subcontractors will receive details from Revenue of contracts notified by principal contractors.

?I need to file a tax return, where do I start?

We will file your tax return from as little as €239

We understand that a lot of people working for themselves need to save costs wherever they can. We will file your tax return starting from just €239. This cost will cover the following:

Employment income reporting for 1 P60

Submission of a claim for rent-a-room relief

Non-resident landlord tax filing for 1 property

Dividend income reporting for 1-3 shareholdings

Additional income types are priced separately. We remove the mystery from tax returns, and eradicate scary accountancy fees. Once your tax advisor finds out what income types you have had in the last year, he/she will tell you what our fee will be. At that point, you can decide if you want to proceed so there won’t be any nasty surprises at filing stage, or later.

Find Out More

Our friendly Irish tax team

ChristineIrish Tax and Payroll Director

AITI Chartered Tax Adviser with over 16 years experience in Irish taxation and social security compliance and consultancy for individuals and companies. Certificate in Principles of International Taxation from CIOT. IPASS payroll qualification. Particular interest in employment taxes and cross border matters.

Passions: Family, music and dance, my dog and baking whenever I have time.

Passions: Painting and drawing. During my free time I love to paint - I've even sold a painting! Some day I would like to develop this passion and create an online gallery.

Irish Office Contact Info

Our Irish Customer Care team is based in our Kilkenny Office. They are on hand to answer all your Irish tax refund and tax return filing questions. We also have an office in Dublin city centre. You can reach people in both Irish offices by calling the Irish freephone number 1800 99 18 05.

Irish Tax Return Facts

The deadline for submission of a self assessed tax return is 31st October following the end of the tax year in question.

The extended deadline for people who pay and file online is usually around 15 November i.e. just over 2 weeks after the paper filing deadline.

We will provide you with a no obligation quote before proceeding with your tax return.

Some PAYE workers also have to file an Irish tax return (see above).

With taxback.com, you're in safe hands

Find Out More

Our job is simply to make things as easy as possible for you. And that’s exactly what we do. If you use taxback.com to file your Irish tax return, you’ll get your own tax advisor from our Kilkenny-based team. This person will become your point of contact and will keep you updated on all developments on your file through the tax return process. Every single tax return is checked by a senior Irish tax accountant before it goes to you. Why take the risk of making mistakes by filing your own tax return? Incorrect or late tax returns can lead to fines and penalties. As long as you give us all the information we need, we’ll prepare your Irish tax return and make sure it’s fully compliant with Revenue guidelines. If you’re looking for a reliable, affordable tax return service, taxback.com is the right company for you.